Dein Vater
by JaceSterne
Summary: The Angel War has ended, at least for the time being. In the early months of 2016, Misato's slightly dysfunctional family is enjoying a respite from the constant on-call status of the last year. However, a new crisis arrives, driving her two charges together. What will happen? Read and find out! Based on Lord Talon's "Father"
1. Broken Peace

The sun was lazily cresting over the peaks that surrounded NERV's fortress city to signal yet another dawn in the few months since the last angel attack. And just like a slumbering dragon, the towers of Tokyo-3 began to rise up to meet these warm, welcoming rays. However, in one small, unassuming corner apartment, a certain red-headed young woman was adamantly resisting the world's call to awaken.

The great Asuka Langley Soryu had, once again, suffered from a nightmare-induced lack of sleep. The same dream had haunted her for the past few weeks. It would start out sweetly enough, happily chatting away with, and teasing, her knight in shining armor. Her words, and his, barely audible over the drone of some background music. Eventually, the teasing would turn to touching. As the music was drowned about by more cheers and shouts, the two made their way to a quieter room where the chatting could turn to cuddling.

And that was where the dream would start to sour. Once they were alone, her 'knight' would start to show his true tarnished colors. Waves of nausea would begin to wash over Asuka as she tried to scream. But, for some reason, she just couldn't find her voice. If there was anything in this nightmare to be thankful for, it was the fact that she would always wake up then, drenched in a cold sweat. But the ill feeling remained. In a flash, her covers were thrown aside as she made a beeline to the small bathroom she shared with her two roommates.

BLEAGH!

**Chapter 1**

_Broken Peace_

"That's the fourth time this week," mumbled Shinji to himself as he quietly worked on preparing breakfast. The sound of running water started to creep towards his ears, probably from Asuka starting to run a bath.

"Aww… Is my little Shin-chan worrying about Asuka?" teased a disheveled major as she walked into the kitchen.

"Mi… Misato!" yelped out Shinji as the spatula he had been using fell from his hand and dinked against the kitchen floor. Though she couldn't see from where she was standing, Misato was certain that her male charge's face had turned a shade of red earlier close to the Second Children's plug suit. "A… Aren't you worried too? At this rate, she'll miss the whole week of school."

"YEEEAAHH!" Misato yelled, completing her morning ritual of beer chugging. "That hit the spot. Sorry, Shinji. What were you saying?"

Shinji just blinked, blindingly staring at his guardian for a moment. To say he was shocked that she was so callously disregard Asuka's well-being would be an understatement. Though, he wasn't sure why he was ever surprised about it at this point. "Aren't you worried too?" he repeated.

"Yeah, yeah." She pulled out her phone. "Look, I'll call Rits and see if she can't work in a check-up for her or something."

"Thanks" Shinji said softly as he set the table. But then, no sooner has the major made the small request of her old friend, all hell started to break loose.

"MISATO! YOU KNOW MAYA AND I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF REFORMATTING CASPER! I do NOT have the time to diagnose some simple STOMACH FLU!" –CLICK–

Misato, holding her phone as far from her ear as humanly possible, let out a sigh. "Jeez. You could have just said no, Rits. Looks like we'll have to be going to one of the off-site doctors."

"No!" Both Shinji and Misato quickly looked over to the doorway, where a very grouchy Asuka stood firm with her arms folded across her chest. "I'm not going to see a doctor. I don't need one." But, the lack of color in her face, as well as the slight wobble in her stance, told a very different story.

"Asuka, please, be reasonable."

"REASONABLE?! Tell me, Third. What, exactly, is reasonable about coming out of your bath to hear your roommates plotting to send you away to a doctor without your consent?"

Shinji tried to hold her glare, or at least thought about it. Ultimately, however, his eyes dropped to glance at his shoes. "I… I'm sorry."

"Wow. Good job, baka. For once, you actually used that phrase correctly!"

"ASUKA!" Both pilots jumped ever so slightly as Misato decided to put an end to their bickering now, before it got too out of hand. "Until the Commander" –Shinji flinched slightly at the mention of his father- "tells us that the last Angel has been defeated, your health is a matter of strategic concern. You will be going to get a check-up, no questions asked."

"But, I'm perfectly hea-"

"I said no questions asked, Asuka. Understand?"

"Y… Yes ma'am," the red-head acquiesced.

"Good. Shinji, I'll let the school know you're both out for the day and set up that appointment. Will you see Asuka there?"

Shinji just nodded.

"Alright then. Let's eat before our food gets cold!" called out a cheerful major. Asuka, however, turned green and ran straight back to the bathroom.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Shinji calmly sat alone in the waiting room at the office. Misato had received an urgent call after breakfast, so she had dropped the pair off on her way to a meeting. Having no idea how late it would run, she'd told them it would probably be best if they made their own way home afterwards, to which Shinji nodded and Asuka fumed.

"Kaji wouldn't have made me walk home," Asuka grumbled.

"Well, Kaji isn't here now, is he?" Misato snapped back, her voice so heavily laced with pain that no one had dared to speak for the remainder of the ride. It had been months since the three of them listened to that heart-breaking voice mail, with Shinji making it a point to water the melon patch as often as he was able. It was the least he could do for someone that had been almost like a father to him.

Shinji just shook his head. This was not the time to be dwelling on those things, as much as he wished to. Asuka was ill, and at least some part of him was keeping his mind focused on that fact alone. Looking up at the clock, he couldn't help but wonder what was taking the doctor's so long. She'd been back there for over an hour now. And then, he heard it…

"WWHHAAAATT?!"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

The poor doctor's ears were still ringing from being at ground zero of Asuka's scream. "Ms. Soryu, I cross-checked the test myself. I can assure you, there is no doubt. You are pregnant."

Asuka's voice started to break and stutter. "B… B… But… How?! When?!"

The doctor gently rubbed his temples with two fingers. "I would imagine your parents were kind enough to explain to you the technicalities of this matter." Asuka started to tense at the track he was taking. "Seeing as how it seems clear that you understand at least some of the –"

"No, dumkopf! I want to know how, since I never even recall having…" the fiery German's anger subsided as quickly as it came as her cheeks began to match her hair in color.

"Oh!" Revelation hit the doctor like a ton of bricks. "Oh, Ms. Soryu, my apologies. It was not proper of me to assume. I just figured, what with your boyfriend outside –"

"Ugh! He is NOT my boyfriend. And even if he was, that pervert wouldn't have the spine to… to…" She was trying desperately to hold on to her anger. It was a far more comforting feeling that the shame that kept washing over her whenever she thought about what happened.

"Asuka, what's wrong?!" asked Shinji, suddenly appearing in the doorway with a look of worry upon his face. Big mistake. He had just enough time to think that to himself before dodging the medical clipboard that was thrown at his face.

"PERVERT!" Asuka screamed, though without its usual strength. She'd used up the last of the rage that kept her walls up in that outburst. Almost in slow motion, her face fell into her hands and, on one of the very few occasions in her life, Asuka cried.

"Asuka?" Shinji asked again, torn between running away and comforting his compatriot. The urge to run almost won out. But then, between sobs, she managed to say two heavy words.

"I'm pregnant."

Shinji's mind began to swim as the whole room seemed to summersault on him. Before he had an idea what was happening, Shinji Ikari passed out.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"I can't say I was expecting to see you again this soon, Ikari-kun."

Shinji blinked, looking around at the unfamiliar environment he was in. That voice sounded so familiar, but every fiber of his being said he shouldn't be hearing it. Not in this life at least. Looking in the direction of the voice, his jaw drops. "K..Kaworu? B… But, you're dead. I killed out…"

Kaworu's red eyes glinted as his trusty smile crossed his lips. "Yes, yes you did Shinji. And again, thank you for that. If you hadn't, I couldn't be here for you now."

"You don't mean… I'm dead? But, the last thing I remember was… Oh god… Asuka killed me?"

Kaworu just laughed as his dearest friend tried to process the information he was given. "No, no. Nothing like that, Ikari-kun. You simply passed out. You're only unconscious, I assure you. You will live." A sigh of relief passed from Shinji's lips. "I only have a short time, my friend. You will likely be coming around very soon, and then I have no idea when we will be able to speak again. So, Ikari-kun. What are you going to do?"

"M.. Me?"

"You're the only Ikari that I can _see_," Kaworu said with a knowing chuckle. "What are you going to do about Miss Soryu?"

"There's nothing I can do, Kaworu. She'll want nothing to do with me. And even if I try, she'll just push me away."

The former angel jumped up, almost floating over to Shinji before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Consider this divine intervention, Ikari-kun. Or, perhaps, a thank you gift for doing what was right, even when it was the hardest thing for you to do. Miss Soryu needs someone, now more than ever. Will you be that someone?"

"But she'll just say..."

"Ikari-kun," Kaworu said with a heavy heart, "don't listen to what she says, listen to what she's saying. Please trust me, she needs all the friends she can get right now."

"_SHINJI?!"_

Shinji just noded. "O… OK, Kaworu. I'll try."

"Good. And not a moment too soon!" Kaworu started to fade away. "I hope we can meet again someday, Ikari-kun. I'm sure you'll have plenty to share." With a laugh, the former angel disappeared.

_ "SHINJI?!"_

"I'm proud of you, Shinji."

The new voice made Shinji jump, searching the disappearing landscape of his mind's eye for its owner. It sounded so familiar, but he wasn't quite sure who. By the time he realized who to look for, it was too late.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"M… Mother?"

"No, idiot. It's me!" A clearly miffed red-head snapped out as Shinji started to come around. "I could understand you calling Rei that, but…"

"I'm sorry, Asuka."

She looked ready to slap him for the apology, but what he did next was so unexpected, her mind was left spinning out of gear. Even before her name finished leaving his lips, he was sitting up and wrapping her in a hug.

"Let's go home, shall we? I'd like to get started on a nice German dinner for you."

Breaking the hug, but not before placing a small kiss on her cheek, Shinji got up and calmly started to walk out of the office. The cogs in Asuka's mind made just enough contact for her to nod in approval, before running after him.

"I wonder if he'd be up for being my boyfriend," one of the nurses said with a small chuckle.

"Somehow I doubt that," replied the doctor. "But, in any event, the Commander will not be very pleased with this development…"

* * *

**A.N.** Well then, it looks like I finally got the nerve to break down and do this. I've been telling myself for ages that I wanted to write an Evangelion fan-fic, but I never really had the nerve to do so. But then, I read Lord Talon's Father again and really wanted to see it finished. It was, quite possibly, the first ShinjixAsuka fan-fic I read and part of the key reason why I fell in love with that ship in the first place. So, I figured, what better place to start! Nothing like diving head first into a serious challenge, after all.

Now, as I am sure some of you may have read the original story, I want you to know that I'm not intending to just copy the story verbatim and claim it as my own. Yes, I'm using it as the stepped stone to start, but I'm sure you've already noticed I intend to put my own spin on things. It's been a while since I watched the show (my copy of the DVDs is with my ex-fiancee and I have my doubts that I will be seeing them again any time soon) so I'm trying to do the characterizations based on the combination of old memory and a lot of other fan-fics I've been reading lately. Especially JimmyWolk's The 2nd Try, which I have seem to reread every other month of late.

So please, comment and review away. I'd love to know what everyone thinks. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up soon. Until then!


	2. Paradigm Shift

Two hours later, Asuka was sitting in the relative comforts of what had become her home over the course of these past few months. It certainly wasn't the most luxurious of homes, her own bedroom back in her family's residence in Germany was larger than the living room she was currently seated in. However, this small apartment was more of a home to her than that house, the people here more of a family to her that her blood relatives were.

But this… this news had snapped her into a state of shock that was worse than the mental violation of the Fifteenth. Fear gripped tightly at her heart as her breathing threatened to press into the realms of hyperventilation. What if she couldn't pilot anymore? Being an Eva pilot was her life, every bit of her being. If this… condition… prevented her from getting into a plug again, what would she do? What would she go?

Her mind in overdrive, she could feel her withdrawing inwardly. If only she was back in that hospital room, maybe things could be different. Sure, she wouldn't be a pilot. But, she wasn't one now either, was she? At least there, she would be safe. At least in the comforting embrace of a comatose state, she wouldn't have anything to fear.

It was only the fragrant scent of Yebisu and sausage that kept her grounded in this reality. 'No, it's not just that,' her mind reminded her. Barely audible, she could hear a soft humming coming from the kitchen. It was that very same song that had helped pull her out of the coma in the first place. Sure, it was that idiot that was humming it, but at least it was there for her to hear.

And then, what little piece she had managed to find was abruptly shattered as a door slammed shut.

"ASUKA! SHINJI! KITCHEN! NOW!"

**Chapter 2**

_Paradigm Shift_

"HOW?! HOW COULD YOU?"

"Misato… please… It's not what you think," Shinji meekly said from the stovetop. Misato had been rather adamant that her two charges be seating for this tongue lashing, but the realization that he was cooking with _her_ beer changed her mind. He seemed insistent on making this dinner, even almost outright threatened to use more if this batch went to waste. While she had conceded to letting him cook, in part because of how wonderful dinner smelt, his minor defiance had only served to fuel her anger.

"Not what I think?!" Misato's screamed, her face flush with rage. "And just what am I to think, Shinji? I was willing to leave you both alone so often because I thought I could trust you! And now what?" At this point, Pen-pen, hearing his owner's voice and smelling dinner being cooked, stepped out of his refrigerator to see who he could peck for some fish. "How long, you two? How long has it been?!"

"Mi… Misato… Shinji's…"

"Oh, this should be rich! What, Asuka? Shinji's what? Are you going to be saying he's sorry for him now? Or are you going to try and excuse this with some story about how great he is in bed?" At that, a heavy silence filled the apartment as three things happened in very quick succession. First, the normally strong, composed red head got up and ran to her room, tears threatening to burst forth from her eyes. Second, the sound of a metal spoon clanking against the kitchen floor rang out as Shinji's shaking hand was no longer able to hold it. Third, Pen-pen's door hissed shut, the warm-water penguin apparently deciding now was the worst possible time to try to get some fish.

"How could _you_, Major?" asked Shinji. A small amount of venom seemed to slip into his voice, causing Misato to sweat drop. She'd been riding high on her rage since the doctor had passed the information to her, and not once stopped to really think about what was said. She knew her two charges had some repressed feelings for each other, and they were alone together quite a bit. It only made sense that, if Asuka was pregnant, Shinji had to be the father. Or so she thought, but seeing the mix of pain and anger flashing across Shinji's face told her otherwise. "I'm not the father, Misato. Do you really think Asuka would want to be with me?"

Suddenly, the adrenaline that had been fueling the Major left her veins. Half a second later, she felt like a hot air balloon that had its envelope filled with ice water. How could she have been so far off the mark? "Shinji, if you're not…"

Shinji cut her off with a shake of his head. "She wouldn't tell me, Misato. She's hardly even yelled at me since we left the doctor's office, much less tell me much of anything." He let out a sigh as he got a new spoon, the fallen one unceremoniously being tossed into the sink. "Not that I'd have any right to know anyways."

Whatever could pass for a motherly instinct within Misato finally started to kick into full gear, the image of a broken Shinji before her being too much to bear. She stood up, getting ready to try to comfort the young man with a massive hug. 'No, not him. He doesn't need me right now,' she thought to herself. So, instead, she just placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go talk to her, OK?"

As she left down the small hallway to Asuka's room, the faintest of "Thank You"s reached her ears.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Asuka, I'm coming in!"

"Go away, Misato!"

"Not a chance," Misato said calmly as she opening the sliding door to Asuka's room. "We… we need to talk." Asuka's only response was to roll over on her futon, refusing to say anything more to her guardian. "Asuka, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone jumping to conclusions like that. I just got it into my head that you both had betrayed my trust and couldn't see anything else."

Misato walked over and sat on the edge of Asuka's futon. She hadn't been sure what she would say when she came into the room. She still wasn't, so she just let the words flow. "I can only imagine how hard this is for you to go through. I know nothing I can do or say will make this any easier for you. But, if you need someone to talk to, I am here. And I promise to try not to jump to conclusions again."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Misato felt her charge tense for a moment from the contact. "Will you tell me who the father is?"

Silence reigned through the room as Misato just sat there, waiting. The minutes passed slowly until Shinji's voice cut through the air, announcing that dinner was ready. At that, Misato gave Asuka a final squeeze of the shoulder, before quietly getting up and walking out of the room.

"I don't know who…"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Shinji went to bed that night on an empty stomach. He'd made dinner specifically for Asuka, so he didn't feel quite right eating it without her. Instead, he let Misato have what she wanted, then packed away the leftovers for another time. After he finished preparing lunch for tomorrow, Misato had insisted that he go back to school tomorrow to at least gather their missed classwork from the past week, he retired to his small room.

He had no idea how long he had lain there, humming along to his SDAT player, when he heard his door slide open. Instinct took over as he paused the music and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that whomever it was would leave when they assumed him to be asleep. That wasn't to be the case, however. He felt the warmth of another body pressed gingerly against his back. Without a second thought, he began to turn around to see who it was.

"Don't," started a soft voice he instantly recognized. "Please, don't turn around."

Shinji did as he was told, settling, albeit uncomfortably, back to back with his roommate. After a few moments of silence, Asuka spoke up again.

"You must think I'm filth." Shinji's breath caught for a second, before he started to turn around once more. "I SAID DON'T LOOK AT ME!"

Both children lay there in silence, fearful Misato may have heard Asuka's outburst and come barging in any second now. When a few long moments passed and nothing happened, Shinji let out a sad sigh. "No, Asuka, I don't."

"How can you not? I'm carrying some bastard's child. And the worst part is, I don't even know…" Asuka stopped herself, suddenly realizing what she was about to share. Something she swore she wouldn't let anyone know, lest they think even worse of her.

"You don't know what, Asuka?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Forget I said anything."

"I won't, Asuka. Just tell me," Shinji implored.

"You'd really think me worse than filth if you knew…"

"No, I won't Asuka. I promise."

She let out a soft sigh. There was just something about his voice, something that made her want to believe his words. "I don't know who the father is, Shinji. I'd thought it a dream… a nightmare… But now…" Her voice started to catch as she fought back the urge to break down. "No one is going to want trash like me…"

_"Miss Soryu needs someone, now more than ever. Will you be that someone?" _Those words hung heavy on Shinji's mind. Sure, it was probably just a trick his mind played on him while he was unconscious, but Kaworu had seemed so real. How could he dishonor the memory of someone who had meant so much to him? Especially when it was a request he want to fulfill.

Ignoring her earlier commands, Shinji rolled over. He was too quick, or too confident, for her to bark away this time. In a fluid motion, he wrapped his arms around the red head beside him. "I _will_ be that someone…" Shinji whispered.

"Huh?"

"It's not important right now, Asuka. Get some sleep. For tonight, I will protect you."

Torn between rejecting and accepting, Asuka's exhaustion managed to win out. Even if it was that pervert, she couldn't disagree that, for the first time in a while, she felt safe. A small smile settled upon her lips as her eyes closed. "Idiot…"

* * *

**A/N:** Well, there you have it everyone. The second chapter is done and ready for reading! Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far. And a special thanks to those of you who have made this story a favorite. As I've mentioned, this is my first fan-fic, so to have such a solid response right out of the gate was a welcome surprise. I'm hoping to keep a fairly steady pace of a new chapter every Wednesday and Saturday morning (U.S. EST), though how well that will work is going to depend on how nice of a buffer I manage to build up. So, if I miss a day, please don't panic too much. I already like this story a lot and would rather not let it fall by the wayside. And hey, I'm only about four scenes into the original source material, so I've got plenty to work with.

As I've told some people through private messages, I'm hoping to follow the original plot line pretty closely, although I would really like to make sure that the character personalities aren't as far from their in-anime appearance. So please, if I deviate too far too fast, pull my feet back to the fire. I may not agree, but I'll certainly listen to your opinion! And, on that note, I'll be seeing you on Saturday! Looking forward to trying my hand at the classmates.

JaceSterne


	3. Snippets of Power

"I've verified them all myself. There isn't a single member of SEELE still breathing."

Commander Ikari's office was draped in its usual darkness, a scant amount of red light flooding in to illuminate Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, their guest, and the Commander himself. Upon the singular desk within the office was a stack of various photographs, all of them showing the faces of SEELE. Some, such as the members of the Instrumentality Committee, were easy enough for the Commander to recognize. Others posed a bit more of a problem, even if they were well known public figures throughout the post-Second Impact world.

"As you can see, most appear to have been stabbed by some form of high-energy lance. Chairmen Lorenz himself, however, appears to have suffered a complete cybernetic breakdown shortly after the destruction of the seventeenth angel. Even I am not sure how so much high-profile death was kept from the media."

"The eyes can only find what they look at, Agent. I am certain you, more than anyone, should be aware of this." The Commander's voice was smooth and mellow. If there were any concerns nestled deep within his mind, neither his voice nor his demeanor was able to betray it. Fuyutsuki, however, was not as successful.

"With the committee out of the picture, how will we be able to secure our funding? I'm not certain there are many others that will be as easily swayed within the UN to support our discretionary funds."

"That is not a matter to be discussed at this time, Sub-Commander. Rest assured, preparations have been made."

"But how?"

A dismissive hand motion from the Commander was enough to silence Fuyutsuki. "Now then, Agent…" the Commander's voice hung for a moment on the foreign name "Tod, is that all you have for us?" The agent gave a curt nod in agreement. "Very well, you are dismissed."

The crew-cut brunette removed his wire-frame spectacles. "Sir, if I may, on a more personal matter. Are the rumors regarding Asuka true?"

"You gave up any semblance of parental rights towards her some time ago, Agent." Gendo's cold voice never wavered. "Now, I believe you were dismissed."

**Chapter 3**

_Snippets of Power_

_And in those days, the Soul of the World shall be torn asunder. The giants shall once again roam the Earth, as in the days of antiquity. And the Sons of God shall stand against the Daughters of…_

Only translatable elements of Dead Sea Scroll 12QRev18-19

"Then, the lost scrolls were not a mere hoax?" Fuyutsuki asked once their guest was finally out of the office.

"Our entire plan hinged upon the assumption that we had access to prophecy that the old fools were unaware of. Or have you forgotten, Sub-Commander?"

"No sir. It is merely a relief to know we have no wavered as far off course as I had come to fear," Kozo said with an obvious sigh of relief.

"Good, because we have much to do and a very limited time in which to do so. Contact Bethany Base and have them prepare to move Evangelion 05 and the Sixth Child here. Also, activate the Seventh."

"But his Evangelion-"

"Will be here when the time comes."

"Yes sir."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Shinji awoke the next morning to find himself alone once more. Sometime during the early morning hours, Asuka must have slipped back to her own room. And, for some reason, it left Shinji feeling even more empty than usual. He hadn't really expected her to be there. Of course, he also hadn't expected her to come to him in the middle of the night either.

Subconsciously, he began to slowly flex his hand while he thought back to his words last night. For a fleeting moment, he recalled hearing Kaworu's words repeated in his mind. And in a rash moment, he'd made that promise. Even if only for a night, he promised to protect her. And she had seemed… happy?

That had been the most confusing part. The Great Asuka Soryu Langley, the self-proclaimed "Greatest Eva Pilot in the World", who would never ask for or seem to want help, actually seemed to be content to have someone else, even a weakling like himself, promise to protect her.

The sound of a door opening broke his line of thought for a moment. He knew it was Asuka's door given the proximity. He started to get up to ask her about what happened. But the sudden wrenching sound from the bathroom was enough to tell him that she wasn't up for much talking at the moment.

"But maybe…" he said softly to his SDAT player on his nightstand.

A part of him thought that there was a chance things would be different between the two of them. It was worth a chance, wasn't it? Without much more thought, Shinji got out of bed and quickly made his way to their shared bathroom. With a slight shake in his hands, he pulled her crimson locks back from her face.

"Ugh… I'll never get use to this…" she grumbled weakly. "Thank you, Misato."

"You're welcome, Asuka. But it's me. Shinji."

"Wha? SHINJI?!" A hint of red started to seep into Asuka's pale cheeks. She threw a weak elbow into his stomach. "OUT! PERVERT! ECCHI! HENTAI! OUT! GET OUT!" The sudden outburst punctuated by another bout of vomiting.

Winded and doubled over, Shinji made his way out of the bathroom.

"Not quite what you were expecting?" his purple-haired roommate teased.

"Not at all…"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

The rest of the morning was fairly uneventful. In a way, it seemed as though nothing unusual had happened the previous night. Asuka, once she was done having a conversation over the porcelain phone, was back to her slightly abrasive and self-centered personality. Misato took to teasing her two charges whenever she had a chance, though she'd laid off the 'Newlyweds' type jokes somewhat.

After breakfast, they had agreed that it would be best for Shinji to return to school in order to pick up their paperwork. Asuka, on the other hand, was to accompany Misato to NERV for a second opinion from Ritsuko. It wasn't that Misato doubted the original report, as unbelievable as it was, but he had no way of being certain how such a pregnancy would affect Asuka's ability to sync with her Eva.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Shin-man! How ya been? We missed ya yesterday." Toji leaned heavily on his crutch to flag his friend down with his only good arm. Even though he'd been released from the hospital a little over a month ago, it still unnerved Shinji to see one of his closest friends with two prosthetic limbs because of his own inaction. And so, he simply waved back shyly before heading to his seat.

"Yeah, Shinji," started Kensuke. "You've not been all week. What, did the Red Devil's obligatory chocolate send you to the hospital?"

The two stooges started to laugh. Shinji, on the other hand, could feel anger starting to well up inside him. But, instead of the usual habit of his flight instinct kicking in, his urge to fight clicked into place. "Cut it!" he snapped. Both his friends laugh, shocked that the usually quiet Ikari would snap. To their credit, the look on Shinji's face pretty much announced to the whole world that he was just as surprised.

"OK, we're cool," responded Toji, clapping Shinji between his shoulder blades with a well-meaning slap. "Damn, looks like living with the Red Devil has finally started to give out little Shin-man a backbone. Where is she, anyways?"

"NERV," Shinji said quickly. "They're running some extra tests on her. Didn't really want to ask what about." He gave a forced chuckle, before adding, "You can't imagine how touchy she can be about that sort of thing."

Toji just gave his mocking sage nod, like he understood exactly what Shinji hadn't said.

"Which reminds me," he continued, standing up and heading to the front of the room before class started. "Class Rep?"

"Yes Ikari?"

"Would you mind giving Asuka a call after class today? I have a feeling she might need someone to talk to."

"But, couldn't you..."

Shinji just shook his head. "I could, but I think she'd rather speak with someone she considers a true friend."

"OK Shinji. I'll call her." Just then, their teacher walked in and Hikari snapped into full class rep mode. "Rise! Bow! Sit!"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Meanwhile, at NERV, things weren't going quite as smoothly, as a single, feminine voice broke could suddenly be heard in every corner of the Geofront.

"OH HELL NO!"

* * *

**A/N:** Bit of a cliff-hanger for you there. Should keep y'all interested until the next chapter. Which brings me to my first point. Remember how I said I was going to try to update this every Wednesday and Saturday? Yeah, not happening. I'm going to shoot for a goal of "at least" once a week. I'll keep posting as quickly as I comfortably can, but I want to keep myself to a minimum of one post per week before Saturday morning. If I can write more, I can write more. I just want to give everyone an idea of my new plan for posting.

Shinji's spine seems to be growing. Sure, it's not a "Oh, you mean Asuka's pregnant, time to awake The Sleeper!" type growth we saw back in the original story. But, hopefully, it keeps somewhat closer to his anime personality. Also, now you readers should be able to have an idea of why there wasn't an attempt at Third Impact made by SEELE. Kind of hard to order an all-out assault when you're dead, after all. If anything is unclear, hopefully it will be cleared up as time progresses. Feel free to leave a comment about what you're unsure of in the reviews, or just send me a private message. Depending on the comment, I'll either answer it directly, or use it to hammer the point out later on in the story. Until next time!

JaceSterne


	4. Whispers and Screams

It was shortly after one o'clock in the afternoon by the time Ritsuko Akagi got around to seeing Misato and her pregnant charge. Most of the morning had been spent running tests and consulting with the Magi computers. Melchoir had immediately insisted that there were too many variables in play with this pregnancy, termination was the simplest solution. Balthasar insisted that the gains outweighed the risks, life was, in fact, the only solution. But Casper…

"I will never understand that woman."

Everything hung in a state of limbo as Casper weighed the options, hemming and hawing as seconds turned into hours. Ritsuko became convinced that her mother was, once again, doing whatever she could from beyond the grave just to spite her. And so, taking a swig of her coffee, she started down the hallway back to the hospital wing. If Casper wouldn't make a decision, then she would do it for them.

**Chapter 4**

_Whispers and Screams_

"OH HELL NO!"

Asuka and Risuko both tried hastily to blink away the shock that crossed their face as Misato rushed in between them. Misato's quickness to blame her and Shinji's untrustworthy and reckless behavior. Her silent, near brooding nature on the car ride to the Geofront this morning. Her inability to really start up any form of a conversation about… it. Everything had managed to convince Asuka that her guardian would have been insisting on an abortion. And yet, here she was, actively trying to stop her long-time friend from doing just that.

"Katsuragi, this is the only option," Dr. Akagi began. "It will be painless and quick. I would have presumed, given your… history, you would be more understanding."

Misato fumed, though a single tear started to roll down her cheek. "My 'history' is not a matter for discussion in front of the Children!"

"Then stand aside Major, and let me do my job."

The lavender-haired woman didn't budge. "I'm doing mine, right here. Protecting the Children from the likes of you!"

"It's not your decision to make."

"Nor is it yours, Doctor," came the nearly forgotten target of the conversation. As the shock of Misato coming to her defense was quickly wearing off. In its place, a spark of her old defiance began to show through. But, she was shut down before she even got to speak her mind.

"And neither is it yours, Pilot. And, as I am certain that the Magi will confirm my decision-"

"So, you have yet to consult the Magi?" a voice asked from the hallway.

"S-Sub-Commander, when did you get here?" stammered out a startled Ritsuko.

"I was nearby handling some private matters when I heard our dear Major's scream. However, you did not answer my question."

Looking very much like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar, the good doctor started to sulk. "The decision was inconclusive. But, I know the Commander would agree with my assessment in the event the deadlock remains."

"Then you didn't notify the Commander about your decision either?!" Misato nearly shrieked in rage. "Akagi, you've gone too far!"

"I am afraid I must agree with the Major," agree Fuyutsuki. "Major Katsuragi, please take Ms. Soryu home. I am certain she and her unborn child have had more than enough excitement for one day. Doctor Akagi, please come with me. We are going to see the Commander."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

MAGI-01 TERMINAL CODE

SYSTEM: CASPER

DECISION MATRIX RESOLVED

DECISION: NO TERMINATION

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"I'm home" Asuka weakly called out as she and her guardian crossed the threshold into their apartment. In an instant, the glorious scent of a late lunch started permeating their nostrils. Misato had to do a double take of her watch.

14:51

"Shin-chan?" she called out as she rounded the corner to find her male charge hard at work on some food.

To Asuka, though she'd never admit it, it smelt like the best meal ever cooked by mortal hands. Although, that was likely due to the stress of the past few hours, she tried to convince herself. But, something else had her attention at the moment. School wasn't over for almost another two hours. "Baka! What are you doing home so early?"

Shinji just shrugged, his eyes never leaving the pot on the stove. "I'm not sure. I was just pulled from class and told I was to go straight home. No other explanation."

Asuka's gaze drifted to Misato as her guardian's cell phone started to ring. "I have nothing to do with this, Asuka." Misato picked up the phone and headed into the living room. "Major Katsuagi here. … Good afternoon, sir. … Yes sir…" Her voice trailed out.

"How did the appointment go, Asuka?"

"I… don't want to talk about it," the redhead responded. Shinji chose to hazard a glance at her while she spoke. Something about her tone, something about the way her shoulders were slumped forward… A part of Shinji wanted to leave the pot in that moment and go to her. But, that would likely get him yelled at or punched. And then, he'd run the risk of burning the lo mein he had been making, which would delay Asuka's meal, which would earn more yelling and punching. So, he did the only other thing he could think to do.

"Umm… Asuka… I want… I mean… I'm sorry, but…"

"Spit it out already, Third."

"Well, it's just that. I told Hikari to give you a call after class."

"WHAT?!" For a moment, she looked like Mount Fuji incarnate. "YOU TOLD HER?! What, did you tell the STOOGES too?!"

"Asuka, please relax. I promise, I didn't say anything. Just that you might need a friend right now."

And relax she did, even if only for a bit as Misato walked back into the room.

"It seems the three of us have a meeting in the morning. Shinji, Asuka, I'm afraid you'll be missing another day of classes."

"A meeting? With whom?" inquired Shinji.

Misato let out a sigh, having an idea for the reaction that was about to come. "Your father. On the topic of transferring Asuka back to NERV-Berlin."

"WHAT?!" both charges called out in sync.

* * *

**A/N:** Wow, I really feel the need to apologize to my readers for this chapter. We've got ourselves a short chapter after a long wait. This is almost like those days when you're looking forward to a new episode after the midwinter break, only to be stuck with a recap episode. I know I can't stand that, so I imagine you can't either. The simple truth is, I've been rolling this chapter in my head a few times and just couldn't get it to be the way I wanted.

I'm already at work on the next chapter. Hopefully it will be out a bit quicker and be a bit more filling. Until then!

JaceSterne


	5. Lectures, Conspiracies, and - Part I

"Thank you, Hikari… Yes, yes I plan to try to make it to class tomorrow… OK, see you then… Goodbye."

Asuka hung up the phone and looked around the darkened room. Everyone else was asleep by the time she and Hikari had finished catching up. But now, she was alone. Alone with her thoughts and memories. To say she didn't like that would be an understatement. But, he did promise last night… So, maybe…

"What the hell am I thinking?" Asuka asked under her breath. There was no way she was going to start using that hentai as a crutch. She could stand on her own through all of this, after all. "I don't need his protection. I don't need ANYONE'S protection." She spat.

Yet, there was no denying it had been nice. Even if for a little while, it was almost like she had been able to let the Walls of Jericho come crashing down, only to find herself staring at the backs of the invading army.

"No… No! I'm not that weak." Slowly, quietly, she began walking down the hallway to her room, her eyes focused intently on the floor. "I've done everything so far on my own," she whispers to herself. "I can get through this alone as well. Even though…"

Asuka reached for the handle to slide open the door. "It would have been nice, just this once. Just to be held once more." The sound of a door sign slapping gently against the door made her stop. Looking up, in the dark hallway, she could just make out the words 'Shinji's Lovely Suite'.

**Chapter 5**

_Lectures, Conspiracies, and Meetings - Part I_

The next day, Shinji was sitting in class, listening to the teacher blabbering on and on about the Second Impact once more. His mind, however, was focused on last night. Surely, it had to have been a dream, right?

He remembered waking up in the middle of the night to find Asuka, snoring softly, beside him in his futon. I mean, sure. She'd done that the night before. But, she'd be a complete wreck that night. It had almost made sense for her to be there, in some crazed fashion. But last night… She hadn't just discovered she was a hair over six-weeks pregnant. She hadn't had to deal with Misato's unfair assumptions and tirades. Sure, there was the incident with Dr. Akagi. But, between Misato and the Sub-Commander coming to her aid, as well as the conversation with Hikari, that should have been swept under the rug. So why?

Didn't really matter, of course. By the time he had truly woken up, she was back to sleeping in her own room. She never mentioned anything about slipping into his room at breakfast or on the walk to school, which had been enough to convince Shinji it really was all just a dream.

But, it certainly was a rather pleasant dream…

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"DUMMKOPF! You ruined it!" Asuka fumed, holding a diced up piece of breaded pork and rice between her chopsticks. "How could you let it chill like this?! Schnitzel is only good when it's fresh or properly reheated. This is just rubbery garbage!"

"I'm sorry, Asuka. But, you never ate an-"

"And that's my fault how? You cooked this the night before last! The least you could have done was properly reheat it last night for dinner, couldn't you? Or just trashed it like the schiesse it is!"

"ASUKA!" Hikari snapped, before almost instantly regretting it. It had been a reflex, trying to defend Shinji from some of the more ridiculous of her red headed friend's outbursts. But, this wasn't one of them. The tears starting to well up in Asuka's eyes certainly attested to that fact. "Asuka, listen. It was a mistake. How often has Shinji cooked German dinners?" She watched as Asuka shook her head, agreeing about just how rare such an event was. "See? He probably didn't know and just wanted to surprise you. Isn't that right, Shinji?"

Suddenly drawn back into the conversation, Shinji tried his best to cover up his mild discomfort about the whole affair. "Y… Yes, that's right, Hikari. And I'm sorry, Asuka. I just thought that it would make a decent substitute for the regular pork in your bento. I never meant to upset you like that. I promise." Shinji blushed when he finished speaking. Where had all of that come from? He was just planning to give his usual apology and let it go, not explain himself.

"Aww… Look, the newlyweds are about to kiss…. and… ma…" Toji's teasing words slowly died off, the glare coming from Hikari being powerful enough to melt through all of twenty two layers of special armor plating that protected NERV-HQ before she could even blink.

"Wow, did the Class Rep and the Red De-" Kensuki quickly found himself under the same glare. "Yep! Shutting up."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Lunch period, as well as the rest of the afternoon, passed by remarkably without incident. Hardly a word was said between the five friends, apart from Asuka's barely audible words of thanks to Hikari for silencing the jock and otaku. As the final bell rang, Hikari stood to call out cleaning assignments. "Alright everyone. Cleaning duty goes to Suzahara and Sor-"

She stopped herself, looking at the schedule before her. There was no way Asuka should be cleaning, she thought. There had to be a way. Well, they were pilots after all. So maybe…

"Hoju-san!"

"What do you want, Class Rep?" the broad shouldered bully-of-a-student asked.

"You and Toji have cleaning duty this afternoon. Everyone else, you are dismissed."

"Now wait just a minute, Class Rep. You can't just go and change around the schedule like that for your friends. It's Asuka's turn and you know it," Hoju ranted. "Or are you just afraid she'll try and steal your-"

"HOJU-SAN! You have cleaning duty this evening. Soryu-san has important business with NERV to attend to."

"Hey now, you can't just try to claim-"

"Just drop it, dude." Toji stood behind the most decorated wrestler in the school's history. Although slightly shorter and thinner than Hoju, Toji's place as former captain of the school basketball team, plus a marginal sympathy vote given his prosthetics, gave him the edge when it came to the social weight they were able to throw around. "Let's get this place cleaned up so we can get out of here."

Hoju only nodded and watched as Asuka hurried out of the room with Shinji in tow.

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

The Commander's office was, as usual, dimly lit as the only source of illumination was either the occult seal upon the floor or the sanguine light coming from the windows behind the desk. Within, Shinji, Asuka, and Misato stood at attention before the Commander Ikari and Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. To call the dressing down they were receiving a minor conversation would be like calling a blue whale a small mammal.

"While I do not condone her actions yesterday in any way," Fuyutsuki was saying, "the simple fact remains that we are now down a pilot. Dr. Akagi's assumption, while improperly acted upon and in violation of the chain of command, is entirely correct. The mental interference that the unborn child will likely cause will prevent her from being able to pilot her Evangelion. We have no choice but to remove her from the active roster."

"_No…"_ Shinji thought to himself as he watched his father shifting forward.

"I have no use for a child that cannot pilot her Evangelion," Gendo said has he laced his fingers together before his nose.

"_Miss Soryu needs someone. Now more than ever…"_ Kaworu's once again hung in Shinji's head. But how? How could he help her? It's not like he had something to hold over his father as some kind of bargaining chip…

"You can go home now, ex-Pilot Soryu."

A gasp of sorrowful pain escaped Asuka's lips just as a suddenly flash of memory hit Shinji…

"_You're the only candidate we have"_

"_But why me? It doesn't make sense?!"_

"_If you don't do as I say, humanity will perish…"_

"_No! No matter what you say, I won't do it"_

"_I see. Alright then, I have no further need of you. Go home, coward."_

It couldn't be that simple, could it? That time, he'd just brought up Rei, bandaged and bleeding, to be thrown into the Eva in his place… But, what if… Could his father just have been manipulating him yet again? Was bringing her up nothing but a bluff to get him into the Eva? He had the dummy plug system, at least what was left after Dr. Akagi destroyed the remainder of Rei's clones. But, he hadn't used it since that time. What if he couldn't? What if he really WAS the only option to pilot Unit 01?

"No…" Shinji said softly.

"What was that, Pilot Ikari?" Gendo intoned.

"No. Asu… Pilot Soryu remains here," Shinji's voice wavered as he spoke. "She stays here on emergency reserve status."

Fuyutsuki arched an eyebrow and was about to interject, but Gendo raised a hand to silence him. "What makes you think you are able dictate such terms, Pilot Ikari?"

Mild conviction started to settle into Shinji. This was all a gamble, a very large gamble really. But, the rewards might just be worth it. At the very least, he might be able to keep his roommates… no… his family… together. "She stays, or I will no longer pilot Unit 01!"

Both Misato and Asuka let out a gasp. "Pilot Ikari, I suggest you reconsider your words. With your history of insubordination, as well as repeated attempts at desertion during periods of active hostilities, such an action would be nothing short of treason."

_"He's not outright dismissing me?!"_ Shinji did not have his father's advantage of being in a seating position to cover his mouth, nor did he have the years of training to perfect a poker face. As such, the faintest of smirks crossed his lips for a fraction of a second. _"I was right! I AM the only option."_

"Shinji, are you certain of this?" Kozo asked.

His smirk returned as Shinji face his father. "She stays, or I will no longer pilot Unit 01. There is no other option."

"I see. Pilot Soryu, Major Katsuragi, you are both dismissed." Gendo stated coldly, before pressing the comm button on his desk. "Ms. Toranaga, please have Section 2 come to confine Pilot Ikari on the charge of treason."

* * *

**A/N:** Alrighty everyone, like I promised last week, Dein Vater has not been abandoned! We're back once again with a new chapter. How was that for an ending, eh? Worth waiting for, I hope.

First, I would like to make a slight comment in regards to my statement about my posting schedule. I know I had said it would be an every other Saturday thing for each story, and that is basically how it is going to be played out. Well, sort of. To be more specific, the first and third Saturdays of the month will be the release date for a new chapter of Third Time's the Charm while the second and fourth Saturdays of the month will be the release date for a new chapter of Dein Vater. This leaves, on average, about four months out of the year that are not accounted for because they actually have five Saturdays. These extra days, the first of which is the end of next month, are going to be set aside for posting random one-shot stories or just a general day off. So don't be surprised when May 30th comes around and there's no update for DV or TTtC.

With that minor bit of housekeeping out of the way, please review and tell me what you think. I really appreciate the comments, even if it's just simply to say "Your German spelling of the title was off." By the way, thank you for pointing that out for me, Anon E. Moose. Also, nice name. I only just caught that.

As far as brining in Hoju, he played a great role as a minor antagonist in the original story. Even though I know there was some dissent about the idea of bringing in OCs, I figure he's worthy of having at least a bit part in this remake… as long as I give him a bit more of a reason to actually hate Asuka enough to push him to start spreading rumors.

Also, now that we are through with that Adam-awful meeting between Gendo and the pilots… You know, I was really hung up on how to best go about writing that little plot point. Without Shinji's massive character modification, to the point that he was actually the one who called the meeting, it just felt like it would end on a sour note. Hopefully, I managed to make it work and still keep true to the evolving nature of the characters. Anyways, with that out of the way, I think we're about to see a bit of forward momentum with the story and break out of this "two chapters a day slice of life" mode we are currently in. Chapter 6 is still in that mode though, but you can bet it will at least tie up some of the loose ends that this cliffhanger created. Afterwards, however, I'm not sure if we'll be moving on to "tomorrow" (although I don't list the dates in the story, it is somewhat chronological and I do know actual story dates) or skip ahead a few days. In the end, I guess we'll find out in a month when Chapter 7 comes out. In the meantime, to thank (and once again apologize to) my readers, I'm going to leave you with a small omake that managed to jump into my head and just need to be typed out. Enjoy the earworm!

JaceSterne

* * *

**OMAKE:**

Chibi-Kensuke, clad in a JSSDF summer camo BDU complete with camouflaged face paint and helmet, poked his head out from behind one of the trees outside Tokyo-3 First Municipal Middle School. He pulls out a pair of high-powered binoculars, scanning the nearby grounds. Class has just been let out after a particularly long day, so the sun was just starting to set. Finally, he spots his quarry, holding hands as though getting ready to walk home together. He lets out a soft sigh. "I can see what's happening."

Chibi-Toji quickly hops out from a nearby ball pen, basketballs flying out in all directions and bouncing away from the sudden burst of energy. "What?!"

Chibi-Kensuke shakes his head in sorrow and disgust. "And they don't have a clue!"

Chibi-Toji, looking horribly confused, asks, "Who?"

Chibi-Kensuke simply jerks his chin in the direction of the playground where his quarry, the fiery foreign red-head Chibi-Asuka and the young Chibi-Shinji whose cheeks were turning just as red, was busy chatting away. Both seemed completely unaware of the fact that the two stooges were watching them. "They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line. Our trio's down to two."

"Oh."

"The sweet caress of twilight," Chibi-Kensuke begins in a mock French accent as he steps out of hiding. "There's magic everywhere. And with all this romantic atmosphere; disaster's in the air!"

"KENSUKE! TOJI!" Chibi-Hikari snaps out. "Stop slacking off and get back to work. You're on cleaning duty, remember!"

"Yes class rep," both boys respond in kind before returning to their assigned duties.


	6. Lectures, Conspiracies, and - Part II

Asuka sat down in one of the chairs outside Commander Ikari's office. Tears started to stream down her cheeks as the full weight of what was going on hit her. Her fear was being realized, her entire reason for existing up until this point had just been stripped away from her. She was being shipped back to Germany like some defective product.

But, that wasn't the worst part. Damn her hormones, she was actually upset that Shinji was getting in trouble too. All this time, she'd been pushing that little wimp to grow some sort of spine. And now…

"Baka… He's going to get himself killed."

Misato came over beside her young charge, teary eyed herself. "Asuka, don't you think you're being a bit dramatic."

"No…" She sniffed. "No, I'm not. What's the penalty for wartime treason, Major?" She let out another short burst of tears, before finally composing herself enough to continue with her train of thought. "I wanted him to grow a spine. I wanted him to stand up for himself. I pushed him to actually have some kind of a backbone. But now… Misato, if he doesn't back down… I've killed him. It'll be my fault."

The major found herself with her back figuratively against the wall. There was just nothing she could say. They both knew the charge for treason, whether wartime or not, was death. And NERV's status would make for such a punishment to be carried out quickly, without even the chance for an appeal. As for trying to talk Asuka down about everything being her fault? There would be no talking to her now. Anything she said would just make the young woman that much more upset. So, she did the only thing she could think of; she wrapped Asuka into a hug as both women sat there and cried.

**Chapter 6**

_Lectures, Conspiracies, and Meetings - Part II_

Shinji stood tall in the center of his father's office, unwavering against the glare from the Commander. _'I will not run away,'_ he thought to himself. He had spent time in the brig for disobeying a direct order from his father before. He had been forced to sit on the sidelines and watch Asuka be mentally violated by the Fifteenth. As long as there was still the possibility of another angel attack, as long as there was even the slightest need him to protect humanity, there was no way his father would have him killed.

The only question that remained, however, was whether or not he would send Asuka away. After all, this was the man who used a heavily bandaged clone of his beloved wife as a guilt trip to get him to pilot Unit-01 in the first place. What would he do to a woman he had no real familial ties to? Just then, a dark thought crossed Shinji's mind. It was too much like a card the man across the table would play. But, it that's what it took to keep Asuka here…

"Shinji, you understand the severity of this charge, do you not?" Fuyutsuki seemed to be genuinely worried for the younger Ikari. Very few people in the entire world were able to stand up like this to Gendo and survive. And all of those old men were now dead by some unclear cause.

"Yes sir," Shinji said with a voice cold even to send ice down the spine of lesser men.

"And you're going to stick by what you said?"

"Yes sir."

"But what about-"

"Fuyutsuki," Gendo started. "Do not waste any more time on this line of questioning. Pilot Ikari has made his intentions perfectly clear. I do not believe he will waver from them at your insistence."

"But sir-"

"The Commander is correct, sir," Shinji chimed in, his tone unnervingly mirroring his father's. "I have made my decision, and I will take responsibility for it as a man."

"A most interesting choice of words, for one that seems fully prepared to surrender his responsibility to defend humanity." Gendo leaned forward at his desk. He was fully aware that Shinji never fought out of a sense of 'responsibility to defend humanity'. His reason for climbing into the entry plug time and again was something far simpler and less noble – the desire for his father's approval. And yet, here he stood, forsaking that desire.

"I have never claimed such a responsibility, Commander," Shinji said, his glared still locked upon his father. "Nor, for that matter, have I stated any desire to surrender any such responsibility that has been put upon me."

"But you said-"

"Commander, if I may?" Shinji inquired quickly, cutting off Fuyutsuki's statement. This was turning into a chess match between himself and Gendo. Shinji have very little doubt that he would end up on the sour end of the deal once the dust settled. But he wasn't looking to get the cheapest deal out of these negotiations, just to get what he wanted and the cost to himself be damned.

"Proceed"

"Sir, with all due respect to the Sub-Commander," Shinji began, "and in light of your dismissal of my direct commanding officer from this discussion, is his presence truly necessary for this inquiry?"

Fuyutsuki's eyes went wide at the younger Ikari's words. However, it was Gendo who spoke up first. "Are you stating that you do not wish to have a witness for the remainder of this inquiry into your charge of treason?"

"Yes sir."

"And are you willing to accept the result of this inquiry, without exaggeration or claim that any command announcements made about this inquiry are misrepresentative of the matters discussed?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well," Gendo said with a solemn nod. "Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, you are dismissed."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Clever bastard," Fuyutsuki mumbled under his breath as he exited the Commander's office. He had a sinking feeling deep in his gut that Gendo would seek to find a way to have him removed from the office to ensure his son was… dealt with. NERV's own REI Program, as well as SEELE's KAWORU Program, had made it abundantly clear that a soul could be transferred between bodies. Although they would be downright suicidal to use a segment of Adam's soul to create a Shinji-clone, it certainly wasn't impossible. Nor, for that matter, would it horribly conflict with their plan. But still, he had to do everything he could to walk Shinji off of that ledge. After all, he owed Yui at least that much, didn't he?

"Sub-Commander?"

Fuyutsuki looked up until hearing his rank and noticed the two women previously evicted from the office. Given the fact that Section 2 had been called, he really didn't expect them to remain in some vain hope of a release. But what really left him shocked was how the Second Child was acting. Normally reserved and proud, never showing a hint of emotion for anyone, she had practically collapsed into a ball of tears on her seat. The generally aloof major was holding her in a near maternal hug, all while looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"Sir, if you're out here, then…"

"Yes, Major," Kozo began, having an idea where her line of questioning was headed. "Shinji is in there alone."

"But then…" The tears Misato had been holding back threated to fall once more.

"I wouldn't be too worried about him, Major." A smile began to creep onto Kozo's face. "After all, it was Shinji's idea that I be removed from the office."

"WHAT?!"

"If I may…" He motioned to the open seat beside them. When he received no objections, he too sat down to wait. "I think the results of this meeting might be quite unexpected."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Several tense moments passed for the three bystanders as they waited for any word from inside the office. Section 2 was taking their sweet time in coming up to the office, most likely in a small internal debate about whether or not they would have to come to collect an individual or a body. Then, the desk mix at the secretary's desk chirp.

"Ms. Toranga, inform Section 2 they may stand down."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

The announcement had given Asuka a bit of hope. Perhaps her baka wouldn't be executed after all. But then, another half hour passed. Then, time drifting into a full hour. Finally, when two more hours had melted away into oblivion, the doors to the Commander's Office opened and Shinji stepped out. He stood tall, walking with near military efficiency, until the sound of the doors sealing reached his ears. In that moment, two things happened. First, Shinji's knees finally collapsed under him as a heavy chill ran up his spine. Second, Asuka broke free from Misato's hug and rushed to his side.

"BAKA! What were you thinking!? How could you? I've been… I've been…"

"It had to be done, Asuka. For us."

Asuka blinked back her shock. No shameless apology? No whimpering, apart from an understandable weight from having dealt with his father for three and a half hours. This was not the boy she had met on _Over the Rainbow_, that much was certain. Not only that, but whatever tribulations he had just put himself through, he had done so because it was necessary… for them. "So…"

"Yes," he said with a smile. "You're staying in Japan."

A sigh of happiness escaped her lips as she hugged Shinji, either unware or simply uncaring about who would see her right now. "Then let's go home, baka. I'll make dinner tonight."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

Thousands of miles away, and deep underground, two hooded figures stood in the shadow of a massive piece of bronzed green special armor. Both spoke softly, in thickly accented Japanese.

"It seems Czar Ikari is making his move."

"Without the Committee to back him, I suspect those… buckaroos will be at his throat about this transfer."

A lock of crimson red hair slipped out of the first conspirator's hood, knocked loose head by a shake of the head. "We are not playing that old cat-and-mouse game any longer, comrade. They will fall in line, when the time is right." Tucking the hair back under the hood, they continued. "You need only concern yourself with your summons."

"Very well," the second acknowledge, absentmindedly removing and cleaning their red-framed glasses with their green plugsuit-covered hands. "We will be ready to move in another day. Then, it's just under three weeks by rail to Vladivostok and the container ship to Tokyo-3."

"Wonderful."

Without another word, the first turned around and walked away. Meanwhile, the second conspirator replaced their glasses with a rueful smile.

"Shipped to the hot-zone when I should be on standby for the Motherland. No matter. At least I'll get to see the Third again."

* * *

**A/N:** So, I could have gone ahead and actually posted the entirety of the conversation between Shinji and his father. Frankly, that was my original plan when I started writing this out. But, the more I thought about it, the more I really enjoyed the "reveal" about Lieutenant Toranga's new position as Misato's secretary, as well as all the changes that were a part of Gendo's condition. There was just something about the uncertainty that made it that much more appealing. While I'm sure there will be a few that are disgruntled about not getting to see Shinji stand up to his father, there might be a few flashbacks down the road to look forward to.

Also, it seems that, once again, Dein Vater is getting a short chapter. I'm not too terribly upset about that, seeing as how this is mostly just designed to be a mildly fluffy, "end of volume" type chapter. Things are going to speed up a wee bit as we step into Chapter 7 in two weeks. Plus, things might get a bit interesting at the end of the month. Work is progressing on that fifth week special. Hope everyone that chooses to read it will enjoy. Just be aware, it's a wee bit spoilery for the future of Dein Vater. So, read at your own risk!

Also, a quick rant. And this is a bit more for Third Time's the Charm than Dein Vater, but still. Do people really just skip over author notes and warnings before they decide to make a guest review? I've gotten two or three now that I've chosen to cull from guests complaining that I have an entire conversation over in TTtC written out in untranslated German, and how horrible I am for making them search some free site in order to get a translation to enjoy an otherwise well written English piece (paraphrase of their words). I put a warning at the top of the page that not only explains that I wished to make it absolutely clear that the German pilot (Asuka) is talking to the German engineering division lead at the German base in their native language. I'm sorry, but that (to me) is makes for a perfectly valid reason. Not only that, but their dialogue already was translated and made available at the end of the chapter below the author notes, a fact that said warning also established. /end rant

Final parting comment. Whomever could those conspirators be? One of them should be fairly obvious to most any Evangelion fan. The other… well… not all is quite as it seems. If nothing else, it seems like things are starting to heat up a bit. Looking forward to seeing y'all in two weeks so you can see where things go from here. Until then, look forward to Third Time's the Charm, Chapter 3 coming out next week.

JaceSterne


	7. The Trenches of Yancheng - Part I

"That little bitch…"

Kiki Natsume was toweling the sweat off of her forehead after the last afternoon run in their phys ed class. Asuka had been back in school for two weeks now, acting like nothing at all had happened. But today, on the day of the endurance run, that 'red-haired hell-spawn' had just tossed an excusal note at the teacher and took a seat in the bleachers to watch.

"Natsume-san," Hinata Takao pleaded. "What if it's an injury from piloting? She did spend over a month in the hospital last year."

The voice of reason was far from what Kiki wanted to be hearing right now. In an instant, her anger turned on her friend. "So why is Suzahara-san out here running?" she demanded, pointing to the former jock as he struggled to round the track. Before Hinata could say any form of rebuttal, Kiki was already looking back to Asuka. "And not only does she get out of this horrid run, but she's got _him_ waiting on her every day."

"You mean Ikari-kun?"

"Who the hell else would I mean, Hinata?!"

As if on cue, Shinji had come running back to the bleachers with the water Asuka had been demanding of him. From the other side of the field, neither of the girls could quite make out exactly what was being said, but Asuka's motions made it seem that he'd once again failed to live up to her expectations.

"He's the Hero of Tokyo-3," Kiki continued, watching Asuka unceremoniously take the water bottle he'd been offering. "He shouldn't be hanging around someone that treats him like dirt. He deserves someone who understands his real worth." With that, she stormed back to the locker room to get changed.

"Natsume-san…" Hinata sighed before running off after her friend.

**Chapter 7**

_The Trenches of Yancheng_

Shinji was running up the bleacher steps with a bottle of filtered water that he'd picked up as soon as his run was finished. Sure, he probably needed it more after his run, but Shinji wasn't thinking about himself. And that was a mistake that would cost him.

"BAKA! How are you still able to run?" Asuka scolded.

Shinji just skidded to a stop in confusion. "Wha?"

"I asked you," Asuka started as she stood, "how you were still able to run."

Shinji started to shrink away from the verbal onslaught, offering up the water bottle as a peace offering. She swiped it from his hands and took a large gulp, before continuing.

"You didn't do your best out there, did you?"

"I… I'm so-"

"No! Don't you finish that sentence, Third!" She let out a sigh as she sat back down, her voice calming down. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she whispered before offering Shinji the bottle. "Ugh. Damn hormones!"

Shinji took the water bottle back and started sipping. "But, you're right."

"Well, of course I am. After all, I am the great Asuka Langley Soryu!" she said in a voice that almost mocked her old mentality. "Shinji, I'm grateful for what you're doing for me and the… well, what I mean is, I wanted to say tha... No, that's not quite right."

Shinji placed a hand on Asuka's shoulder. "I understand, Asuka. You don't have to thank me, I want to be here for you… for both of you."

A smile crept across Asuka's lips while Shinji finished the water. Hearing him say that was certainly a weight off of her shoulders, even if she could barely admit it to herself.

"Is that not what is referred to as an indirect kiss, Lieutenant Ikari?" a feminine voice asked from behind them. The pure astonishment of the question caused Shinji to spit out his water in an explosion of saliva and drink that would have rivaled Old Faithful. Perfectly synchronized calls of "Wondergirl?!" and "Rei?!" escaped the Second and Third Children as they turned to see their blue-haired friend. That was until her words sunk in and Asuka wheeled on Shinji once more.

"Wait a minute, did she just call you 'Lieutenant'?!"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"For the last time, Asuka, I will explain everything when we get home."

"But the front door is right there," Asuka whined, pointing to their apartment door only a few feet ahead of them. "Alright, fine. I'll wait five more seconds. But why does Wondergirl have to be here?"

"I have business with Lieutenant Ikari," Rei deadpanned from her place behind the duo.

Shinji let out a sigh as he opened the apartment door. "Rei, please, I told you. Just Shinji is fine when we're off duty."

"You're wasting your time on that one, Shinji-kun," came the laughing voice of their guardian from inside the apartment.

"Major Katsuragi, I was not aware that you had the day off."

"See what I mean?" Misato asked as she appeared around the corner, putting another DHL box in the front hallway. "And to answer your implied question, Rei. I took the day off to pack up the apartment."

"What… What's going on?" a confused Asuka stammered out as her eyes started to well up.

"You didn't tell her?" Misato asked, concern creeping into her voice.

"I… wasn't sure how to bring it up…" Shinji said with a blush.

"And how does finding out about this in the middle of packing make things any better?" Misato cried out.

"It doesn't… I… I'm sorry."

"Lieutenant, sorry doesn't bring back soldiers!"

As Misato continued berating her first charge, Asuka turned to Rei. Curiosity was getting the better of her, despite the pain of suddenly finding her guardian in the middle of packing up the apartment. Maybe some interesting news from NERV would help her out of this quickly forming rut. "So Wondergirl, what 'business' did you have with that idiot anyways?"

"I was ordered by the Commander to tell him that the Sixth…"

"No! Rei, don't!"

Rei stopped mid-sentence. "I am sorry, Major. The Commander said nothing about withholding this information from the Second Children."

Asuka's head was starting to spin. Shinji had been given an official rank in NERV, but not her. Misato was packing up for a move. Now, something about the Sixth… It could only mean one thing. She was talking about the Sixth Children, she had to be.

_'Replacement…'_

In her mind, she could see her mother's favorite doll. That red-headed monstrosity spinning from a noose with a smile eternally stitched on its face. The doll that should have been her, if her mother hadn't completely lost her senses. Tears started falling in earnest as she pushed past Shinji and Misato.

"Asuka!"

"Asuka!"

Their calls fell on deaf ears as she fled to the relative safety of her room, a room that might not be hers for much longer. There was only once voice her mind was letting her hear now…

'_Asuka, die with me!'_

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Come on. Come on! COME ON! Can't this stupid train go any faster?!"

"Calm down, Mari. We're crossing the entirety of Siberia. It takes time," her travelling companion said. "Just relax, we're three days out of Vladivostok. Then it's just a short ferry ride to Tokyo-3."

"How long have you known me, Agent _Tod_? In all that time, have you ever known me to be patient?"

The man just laughed. "This is why I hate getting children involved in these matters."

"Funny," Mari mumbled, "I was going to say the same thing about adults."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"Come to heaven with me, Asuka."

Asuka cringed as she saw that damned doll spinning before her once again.

"Die with me, Asuka…"

"No." Asuka backed away slowly. "No, I want to live."

"Come to heaven with me, Asuka."

"No…"

"But, you must. There's nothing for you here."

"No." Asuka curled into the fetal position. "No, I do have a reason."

Another image flashed into her mind, a memory of her mental rape by the Fifteenth.

'_Why are you here?'_

'_You don't care about me!'_

'_You won't even hold me!'_

"Stop this!"

"Asuka…"

"Stop… Please stop."

"Die with me…"

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

"I SAID STOP!" Asuka screamed as her eyes opened once more to the darkness of the room. Her cheek and pillow were both soaked with her tears, while the rest of her was drenched in sweat. She tried to get up, but felt herself pinned to her bed. Warmth. Weight. There was someone in the bed with her, a realization that hit like a freight train when she noticed an arm wrapped gentle around her waist.

"Ngh… Asuka?"

A groggy Shinji yawned, only to have his eyes snap open as Asuka's palm connected with his cheek.

"Hentai! What are you doing in my bed, you pervert?!"

"I should ask you the same thing. This is my room."

Asuka's cheeks started to glow as she looked around the room. He was right, sometime after she had cried herself to sleep, she must have sleep-walked into his arms.

"Alright," Shinji said as he stifled another yawn. "Come on, let's go get you something to eat."

"Why?"

"Because you missed dinner, of course. That can't be good for your baby."

"No, baka. I mean, why do you put up with me? And why was Misato packing? And why is the Sixth coming here? And why…"

Shinji silenced her with a hug. "That's a lot for a single why," he said with a laugh, before leading her towards the kitchen. "Asuka, I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything before. I just didn't know how to bring it up. It's all because of that meeting."

"The one with your father?"

"Yeah."

"You never said a word about that to me."

"Well, you see…" Shinji started to blush as he was gathering leftovers for a light meal. "There were a few conditions to you staying here. And I was afraid…"

"Just spill it, Third. What did you have to give that bastard?"

"That's just the thing. It was more what he gave us…"

"Wha?"

"Apparently, all the pilots have been receiving their pay into a trust fund. The Commander agreed to unlock the funds for us, if we agreed to work for NERV."

"And you did?"

Shinji nodded. "Rei and I were given the rank of 'Provisional Lieutenant' until we turn eighteen, when we'll be formally commissioned. The offer was extended to you as well, or will be once your leave is up."

"So, I'm not being replaced?" Asuka asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?" Shinji asked as the microwave oven started to beep.

"But Rei said the Sixth…"

"Yeah, Unit-05 just finished it's trials at Bethany Base. Its transfer, as well as the transfer of the Sixth Children, was supposed to happen two months ago. I don't know the reason, but the transfer had been delayed until now."

"And Misato's packing of the apartment?"

"Since I now have a housing allowance, Misato and I are pooling our resources and we're going to be moving to a bigger apartment. We just found the place today, so I thought I would have more time to find a way to tell you. I really am sorry, Asuka."

Her sigh of relief turned into a minor squeal of joy as a small plate was placed before you.

"Thanks for the meal!"

With a smile, she started to eat the leftovers that Shinji had prepared for her. But, something was bugging her. He never answered her first question.

"Shinji, why do you put up with me, anyways?"

"Well, you see…" Shinji started to look around nervously. "The thing is, I… I think I love you, Asuka."

=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=

At the other end of the apartment, a single door slid shut. Its occupant had a sad smile on her face as she returned to bed.

"Please don't screw this up like we did, kids."

* * *

**A/N:** OK, first things first… I feel like an idiot because I only just noticed that the first chapter of Father is actually spread out over several weeks. All the times I've read it, it always seemed like it was set up as being a matter of 48 to 72 hours. But I was trying to find the full names of 'the jerks' and, low and behold, tucked away before our first meeting with Kiki, I stumble upon the words I've missed so many times. "The next several weeks". Huh, I guess some elements actually make a bit more sense now. Also meets I have horrendously accelerated Shinji's meeting with pops, not counting the two-year acceleration. No matter, everything should flow in the end. Speaking of 'the jerks', how did y'all like Kiki and Hinata? They, and Hoju, are going to be around for a little while. The tension has to build, after all.

As I am sure that there are some who have been curious about this… It's REI! She's finally shown up, in her usual, demi-doll fashion with an odd sense of humor. Hope you're not too upset or were expecting her to be, well, more human I guess is the best way to say it. She should become a bit more common place in the story as well, I hope. And I didn't really want to leave Mari out, so I gave her a bit appearance for now. Some threads are finally starting to come together. But as they do, more are being created. It's all part of the plan.

One thing I want to share, just as a sort of gift to those that actually read my author notes, there are at least four distinct factions vying for the totality of the vacuum that SEELE's destruction caused; NERV, "the council", the Japanese government, and the US government. We've mostly seen NERV's moves, but some of the other parties are going to start to be a bit more overt with their actions in the coming chapters. So, I hope you'll stay tuned.

See you next week for the promised one-shot fiction "In Your Father's Shadow: Cloaks and Tridents". And yes, as the title suggest, it is a Dein Vater standalone. Hope you'll enjoy!

JaceSterne


End file.
